September’s prompt is ESCAPE. I’m going non-fiction this month, opting to tell you about what’s on my mind. Last week, a certain writing challenge I look forward to every year opened their tenth annual competition. I was so excited that I immediately hit “share” on the post. The challenge is hosted by a non-profit, a charity organization that supports a cause I believe in and am impacted by daily. Those who follow my goal updates on this blog might know that the same place recently offered me a monthly column in their newsletter. I was going to accept it if I could come up with a year’s worth of ideas.

I’m grateful now that I never sent the email accepting the offer.

After sharing the contest on my social media sites, I went to the page to look at the details for this year. The theme is simple, nothing very specific. But then, in the rules, was this:

NO profanity, sexual scenes, violence, diverse characters, etc.

It doesn’t actually say diverse characters. But it DOES call out and exclude certain groups who are part of the Diverse Books movement. And it just throws them in that grouping of what makes a book not a “clean” read. That really ripped me to shreds.

* The diverse book movement recognizes all diverse experiences, including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities. https://diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks

The person who offered me the monthly column must know I support Diverse Books. It’s right there on my Facebook profile image, which is the social site where we most often chat. My Twitter feed is loaded with the diverse books hashtag. And, oh yeah, I AM A DIVERSE AUTHOR. Something she ought to know from my bio and my stories. (Last year, this same organization published a story I wrote about a Native American lesbian, her (spoiler) surrogate daughter, and a half Indian half Hispanic female scientist. I will grant you that the words “lesbian, Native American, Indian, Hispanic, or female” didn’t appear in the story. It was, however, heavily implied.)

So, to see that the organization now excludes part of the diverse experience makes me want to ESCAPE from this world. Yes, I’ve been hated before. I’m not new to prejudice. There are plenty of scars on my body to remind me every day just how hateful and horrible people can be. This really broke me though. I need to escape the hate.

I’ve helped raise money for a place that now discriminates against people like me. My very existence is “unclean” to them.

Obviously, I’m not accepting the offer for a column. And I’m not entering the contest.

I don’t know what to do about the fact that I have other stories published with them in the past. Back before I was tossed in with profanity, sex, and violence. I don’t know if I should point out how this person, who I use to think of as almost a friend, how she has made me feel. Would she even care? Does it even matter?

There is no escape from these feelings. I do feel betrayed, and like I’m viewed as less than a person. Neither of which are new to me by any means.

I’m here. I exist. And I’m not going away.

I was put here. I was made in the same manner as the rest of the humans of this world. And people who decide to hate me for existing, I hope they can’t escape the fact that I do, in fact exist. I breathe the same air and drink the same water. I am here, I am human, and that truth is one from which you should stop trying to escape.

]]>http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2018/09/27/escape-the-hate-blogallaboutitchallenge-weneeddiversebooks/feed/44605Unless You are Holding Yourself Back #writinghttp://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2018/08/06/unless-you-are-holding-yourself-back-writing/
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2018/08/06/unless-you-are-holding-yourself-back-writing/#commentsTue, 07 Aug 2018 01:14:07 +0000http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/?p=4494I found a Twitter hashtag the other day while surfing the home feed. With a bit of research, I discovered a group of writers doing 500 words a day and supporting each other. Pretty cool. So I posted about it. I missed the beginning of the #AugWritingChallenge this month.But I'm hoping to jump in on …

]]>I found a Twitter hashtag the other day while surfing the home feed. With a bit of research, I discovered a group of writers doing 500 words a day and supporting each other. Pretty cool. So I posted about it.

unless you are holding yourself back

Am I holding myself back? Do I do that?
At first I thought, “No.” But then it nagged at me.

I have some surgery scheduled for this month. Self-care? I don’t plan to write after, while I’m coming off the anesthesia and recovering. (That isn’t to say I definitely won’t, just that it’s not planned.) Am I holding myself back by not intending to write that day or two?

Snookums and I are going on a mini-vacation as part of my birthday plans. Away from technology. (That’s not to say I won’t scratch things out with a rock or ash, but I won’t be typing.) Any words I would write, if I write them, during that time would have to be rewritten/ typed in. Meaning more work. I’m not saying that’s bad, but do the words that are rewritten count to the day or not… Is that an excuse, am I holding myself back? Maybe.

And there are days where I plan to just read. And other goals and to-do list items, plus work and family and stuff. Am I holding myself back?

Am I?

Maybe.

Because I planned August with certain goals in mind. And daily writing wasn’t part of the goals. Am I holding myself back by achieving some goals instead of others?

As a writer, maybe. As a rounded person, maybe not.

This is an interesting conundrum.

Word count: 350

Unless I count the emails I wrote, the text-based conversation I just had, the instructions written, plus this post, I’m not at 500 for the day. But I’m running low on time if I want to get other things done tonight. (Like having dinner, bathing, and getting ready for work tomorrow.)

Am I holding myself back? Am I?

I really don’t know. Maybe I am.

Word count: 416

WordPress might be counting the HTML in from the Twitter embedded posts. The number might be inflated. I’m debating how guilty I feel about that. When I’m writing, really focused, 500 words is nothing. It’s easy. But I’m not doing that today. I did not make plans for that day. I maybe should have. I’d have to not do something else. Decide who to disappoint. Though, some of the groundwork I did today means less work for me later, because it sets up a delegation system. Fail today to succeed tomorrow?

]]>http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2018/08/06/unless-you-are-holding-yourself-back-writing/feed/84494The Greatest Showman #ThisIsMe Guest Post by J. R. Vincentehttp://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2018/01/17/greatest-showman-thisisme-guest-post-j-r-vincente/
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2018/01/17/greatest-showman-thisisme-guest-post-j-r-vincente/#commentsWed, 17 Jan 2018 22:48:51 +0000http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/?p=4019Today’s guest post is from fellow indie author and A to Z Challenge participant, J. R. Vincente. I have seen the movie The Greatest Showman in theaters three times. Three times. That’s a lot, especially for me. I couldn’t even tell you the number of times I have listened to the soundtrack. Every time it …

]]>Today’s guest post is from fellow indie author and A to Z Challenge participant, J. R. Vincente.
I have seen the movie The Greatest Showman in theaters three times. Three times. That’s a lot, especially for me. I couldn’t even tell you the number of times I have listened to the soundtrack. Every time it gets quiet for more than 30 seconds, I find myself turning on the soundtrack. I know that I will be in the store purchasing the DVD/Blu Ray the day it is released. I have not been that obsessed with a movie… ever.

Before you think that this is just a random movie review, it’s not. Yes, I loved the movie. Yes, I think you should go out and see it. Yes, I think you should buy the soundtrack. But that’s not at all what this is about.

This is about a message. A message of love and acceptance that I think needs to be heard. Here is my favorite quote from the movie:

“You are putting folks of all kinds on stage with you — all colors, shapes, sizes — presenting them as equals. Another critic might have called it a celebration of humanity.”

This quote resonates with me in a way that very little ever has. I have never quite felt like I belonged to any one particular group. Going back to elementary school, I had friends, but I wasn’t in one of those stereotypical groups. Right into adulthood, I just never felt quite like I belonged.

But I feel like I finally found my place in my local writing group. It’s a place where I really, truly belong. A place where my quirks are celebrated. A place where my weight doesn’t matter. A place where I can be my polyamorous, kinky self.

This simple fact is what drew me to writing in the first place. I can be me, completely and wholly. I can express myself in fantasy in any way I want. I choose to self-publish so that I can write whatever I want, whenever I want.

I urge you as readers and writers to support each other. Look past our differences, whether it’s color, shape, or size, and show your support for your fellow bloggers/writers, because of our differences, not in spite of them. So I encourage you to go out and read a new blog, learn something new, experience something different, and above all, be open and accepting of one another.

]]>http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2018/01/17/greatest-showman-thisisme-guest-post-j-r-vincente/feed/24019#WomenBoycottTwitter #HeForShe #FridayThe13th #LovePamelahttp://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2017/10/12/womenboycotttwitter-heforshe-fridaythe13th-lovepamela/
Fri, 13 Oct 2017 03:50:42 +0000http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/?p=3882Gents, let’s do this too. No tweeting for a day. In solidarity with @rosemcgowan. https://t.co/vjM0WZynOC #WomenBoycottTwitter pic.twitter.com/aiXZqrj2JA — Jeeves Williams (@jeeveswilliams) October 12, 2017 To see what a world without the voices of women, and other humans who support equality and oppose oppression, would look like, there’s this Twitter movement. I’ve shuffled tweets out of …

]]>3882Theme and Plot – Fractions of Existencehttp://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2017/06/22/theme-and-plot-fractions-of-existence/
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2017/06/22/theme-and-plot-fractions-of-existence/#commentsThu, 22 Jun 2017 15:41:49 +0000http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/?p=3610Today I’ll be giving this image (which I found on Pinterest) a try. I’m using my Fractions of Existence book because that’s what I’m polishing this week. What should go wrong? Xavier’s attempt to reunite his kind, The Existence, to stop the Eyes in the Shadows (who are working to bring about the apocalypse), should …

Today I’ll be giving this image (which I found on Pinterest) a try. I’m using my Fractions of Existence book because that’s what I’m polishing this week.

What should go wrong?

Xavier’s attempt to reunite his kind, The Existence, to stop the Eyes in the Shadows (who are working to bring about the apocalypse), should go wrong.Gwendolyn’s quest to get to Xavier should go wrong.

Spoilers Ahead

What is discovered?

Xavier discovers a reason to not reunite Gwendolyn with their kind.Gwendolyn discovers that Xavier, or something about him, is more important than the life her parents planned out for her.

Spoilers Ahead

Protagonist: (first half of the story) Xavier:

Protagonist goal:

Xavier’s goal is to reunite his kind.

Protagonist choices:

The choice not to tell Gwendolyn what she is.
The choice not to reunite Gwendolyn with their kind.
The choice to let the world end.

Protagonist struggle:

Trying to find his missing one.
Finding her and learning that she’s content with her life.
Learning that the missing one has no idea what she is.
Struggling between leaving Gwendolyn in her happy life or being honest and yanking her out.
The fallout of knowing that, in leaving her out of it, the Existence will not be able to stop the Eyes in the Shadows.

Protagonist: (second half of the story) Gwendolyn:

Protagonist goal:

To get to Xavier before midnight on New Year’s Eve (before he leaves the country).

Protagonist choices:

She chooses leave the life her parents planned out.
She chooses to leave her friends and family.
She chooses to travel across the country alone.
She chooses to find out about the life Xavier hinted that she could have.

Protagonist struggle:

Gwendolyn is not equipped to deal with a cross country adventure by any means.
She struggles with her choice, as to if this quest is actually a good idea.
She struggles with the fact that it sounds crazy to walk out on her life, her family, her pre-planned future to travel across the country with nothing but the clothes on her back to find a man she barely knows.
She struggles when her car dies.
Her biggest struggle comes seconds after she sees Xavier with someone else at the ball drop.

Create a new award ceremony

Categories would be similar to the Oscars, but all include “most accurately portrayed.”

Best Actor to have most accurately portrayed a character in a book.
Best Picture that most accurately portrayed a book.
Best Director to have most accurately portrayed a book.

You get the idea. (No, this isn’t just the best screen adaptation award, because they hand that out and sometimes it’s very unclear as to why.) Now, here’s the important part! IT HAS TO BE THE HIGHEST AWARD. You know how people get all excited about someone hitting the EGOT “quadfecta”? Well, there would need to be a new conversation. A bigger one.

“You don’t have a book portrayal win?” Dramatically sucks in air through teeth. “Aww, honey,” exaggerated frown, “I’m so sorry.”

The ceremony might not be held every year. Each award might not be given out every time. It wouldn’t be a “given” that someone is going to win simply by default. Either the crowd is astonished by the accuracy or they aren’t. No gray area. The awards would cover both film and television.

Voting would be weighed 45% by the author of the book, 40% by fans, and 15% by other.

Acceptance

If a society, group, or organization has the primary goal of making everyone feel accepted and treated as an equal, must they also be accepting of, and permit membership to, those who are not accepting and feel they are superior rather than equal?

“I accept everyone and believe we are all equal.”

or

“I accept everyone who accepts myself and others, so long as we agree we are equal.”

or

“I accept almost everyone, except certain criminals and those who do not accept me, because I’m better than those people, but I’m equal to everyone else who accepts this same idea.”

or

“I’m superior to anyone who isn’t like me in the way I value most. I accept equality only with those who are like me in the way I most value.”

Is it possible to inadvertently believe you are superior because of a belief that those who think themselves as superior aren’t, and might even be inferior because they fail to understand that all are equal? And, if so, can there ever truly be a society, group, or organization that actually accepts everyone and is able to treat all as equals? Could that only exist if there were no one left to claim superiority?

Should the One-Eyed Man be King?

In the revised story ending, where he sees a rockslide coming, his sight could be considered superior, though the villagers do not treat him as such. In fact, he’s treated as inferior for what he believes makes him a superior.

Obviously, I do not know the best way to remove a plague of hatred. I grew up on stories of equality and acceptance. But the stories shift by the end of the 1500’s. They turn to stories of people who believed in acceptance and equality so strongly that they, inadvertently, became to believe themselves as superior to those who could not grasp the concepts. The ones who could not grasp such concepts eventually took over. A belief in superiority over others allowed them to take over. You see, if you do not believe yourself to be better than another, it is not possible to conquer. Unite, join, ally… these are the words used when equals merge. Conquering is when one believes itself better. That belief cannot be inadvertent, it can’t simply come from thinking those who believe in superiority are wrong. There must be passion in it to conquer.

This is a dilemma. How can those who believe in and adhere to acceptance and equality ever rule, lead, or manage those who firmly believe in inequality? If an accepting, equality believing person tries to persuade by stating, “All are equal and should be accepted,” that is being unaccepting. The inequality belief person will respond as such, “You are not accepting of my belief that I am superior.”

This philosophical conundrum is the basis of political problems that has plagued humankind since the first civilization was settled. It isn’t new. It feels current only because of the abundant amount of attention it is given at the moment.

]]>http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/12/16/deja2016vu-my-deja-vu-blogfest-2016/feed/123103Fascinate an Authorhttp://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/08/31/fascinate-an-author/
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/08/31/fascinate-an-author/#commentsThu, 01 Sep 2016 02:37:17 +0000http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/?p=2909I found a post about branding yourself and your business. Being a brand and business (as all authors are now), I was interested. It strongly suggests taking a quiz. http://howtofascinate.com : This brand perception test measures how others see you at your best. It has given me insight into my clients and the nuances that …

This brand perception test measures how others see you at your best. It has given me insight into my clients and the nuances that make them unique. Take the free test and you’ll receive a printable result with strengths and positive character traits you’ll want to amplify.

Here is ALL that I received for FREE.

nimble: adjective: quick and exact in movement or thought; agileunassuming: adjective: quiet and not attracting attentionindependent: adjective: not influenced or controlled by other people but free to make your own decisionsreticent: adjective: unwilling to speak about your thoughts or feelingsautonomouslycreative: adjectives: independent and having the power to make your own decisions ~ producing or using original and unusual ideasmystique: noun: a quality of mysterious attractioninnovation: noun: a new idea or method, or the use of new ideas and methods

Premium Profile
Your Premium Profile includes: Proprietary research about YOU • In-depth analytics on your personality’s highest value • Data on how YOU compare to the total population • Unlock your Premium Profile now!

$47.00

How does my author brand (how do I) interact with or behaves around others?
Who am I selling to and what am I selling?

My brand interacts with others through online social media, blogs, and books. It behaves mostly professionally, trying not to alienate anyone, but it’s also real and honest. I am selling stories to readers. I am selling the experience of fiction to people seeking to escape by reading words. I am selling a different way to look at certain knowledge and experiences for entertainment and possibly enlightenment.

What do I want to evoke from potential customers?

I want to evoke a feeling of mystery. A feeling of almost knowing what’s going on, but never quite being certain that you (the reader) are right. I want to provoke thought. I’d also like to cause a bit of controversy, the kind that leads to debates and intelligent discussion which results in positive change. My most loyal fans will probably be people who believe that the world could be run differently and not only survive, but thrive as a result.

Describe your brand like it’s a person. How would he/she behave? How would he/she dress? What values would he/she live by?

Since I am an actual person, this is going to be interesting. I behave like a hermit half the time, and an online socialite the other half. I dress comfortably. I’ll dress to “fit in” only if I absolutely have to. I live by values such as protecting nature, prizing education and wisdom, striving for personal growth, fighting for equality and respect for all, living passionately, staying unique, being a good friend and worthy of love, freedom, and enriching culture.

Now pick six words from all of that information. That’s the foundation for the brand.

]]>http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/08/31/fascinate-an-author/feed/22909Compliments and Endorsementshttp://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/05/03/compliments/
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/05/03/compliments/#commentsTue, 03 May 2016 15:47:03 +0000http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/?p=2369It’s important to hang on to the nice words people say/ type about you. It’s extra special when the people don’t know that it’s you. I’m going to toot my own horn. I encourage you to do the same! Here are some wonderful words that were recently posted about my writing by people who DON’T …

]]>http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/05/03/compliments/feed/22369HOW TO make a link clickable in Rafflecopterhttp://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/03/08/how-to-make-a-link-clickable-in-rafflecopter/
http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/03/08/how-to-make-a-link-clickable-in-rafflecopter/#commentsTue, 08 Mar 2016 16:59:28 +0000http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/?p=2299It seems self-explanatory to many of us. But, based on how many Rafflecopter giveaways I’ve seen with improper links, it needed further explaining. I usually put the link in both locations, in case someone has difficulty clicking a link. These are square brackets “[” and “]”. These are parentheses “(” and “)”. You put words …

It seems self-explanatory to many of us. But, based on how many Rafflecopter giveaways I’ve seen with improper links, it needed further explaining.

I usually put the link in both locations, in case someone has difficulty clicking a link.

These are square brackets “[” and “]”. These are parentheses “(” and “)”.
You put words in the first, in the square brackets.
You put a link in the second. A link starts with http. When you copy a link from your browser, the http might be invisible until you paste the link into something like this. Some links have an https – the s means it’s a secure site. Don’t worry, that will work. Some links have a www but some do not.

Then there are links that are entirely more information than anyone needs! This is tricky for the non-Internet savvy, but hang in with me.

You now have a link that goes to the page, but doesn’t contain a ton of extra information.

This is NOT to be confused with link shorting. (That’s an entirely different lesson.) This is just giving links that aren’t longer than need be. It makes you look smarter and more professional.

One other note– If you’re going to have a pre-written tweet, make sure the length is appropriate. Rafflecopter adds a link back to where the tweet came from (ie: your blog), which ups the character count. I’ve seen a few people that go 1 or 2 over, which means the contestant has to pick what to cut.

Hopefully this was a helpful lesson, especially to those of you thinking of using a Rafflecopter giveaway during the A to Z challenge.

]]>http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/03/08/how-to-make-a-link-clickable-in-rafflecopter/feed/32299690 words of Flash Fictionhttp://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/2016/01/24/690-words-of-flash-fiction/
Sun, 24 Jan 2016 06:53:02 +0000http://jlennidornerblog.what-are-they.com/?p=2211I entered a story over at Operation Awesome’s Flash Fiction contest. It’s 690 words long. Check it out! Mint Heaven Chip By J Lenni Dorner @JLenniDorner In the end, memories are all we have. Memories are all we might take beyond our graves. It was the end of our summer trip, thirty years ago, when …

]]>I entered a story over at Operation Awesome’s Flash Fiction contest.

It’s 690 words long. Check it out!

Mint Heaven Chip
By J Lenni Dorner @JLenniDorner

In the end, memories are all we have. Memories are all we might take beyond our graves.

It was the end of our summer trip, thirty years ago, when Alzheimer’s struck. We looked so young, skinny, and kind of like hostages. Eleanor was the first to be taken down. She should have never been brought to this prison for the old. It is my firm belief her mind would have been spared had her children not locked her away. They always were ungrateful beasts. To say she was sentenced here “so we could be together” was worse than any whipping our father ever doled out. I still smell his burnt coffee breath and lack of deodorant. Kids today never appreciate that product. Elders reeked to high Heaven back in my day. And yes, that’s a capital H in Heaven, because it’s a proper noun. In my day, everyone knew that much.

Where was I? Ah, yes. Extended life gives that terrible disease more time to take hold of even the strongest minds. Eleanor, or Professor Eleanor Cove-Jablonsky as she was better known, could recite pi to well over one hundred thousand places. She developed a mathematical theorem used by NASA. In short, my sister is a genius. Or she was. Now she has trouble recalling the word for eggs. Perhaps calling them “jiggly yellow nose balls” isn’t far off.

The end of our last summer trip, our final breath of freedom, is a memory she retained. She relives it every morning. I hear her begging the nurse not to leave her here. Of course, she thinks the nurse is Mary. Her daughter Mary, not me. But that Mary isn’t here. She hasn’t had a free minute to visit in the last decade. Not that she came more than twice a year, Christmas and Easter, in the twenty years before that. Probably for the best. On her last visit, she begged her mother to die. She said paying for her care had gotten to be too much. Mary’s children moved home after college and couldn’t find decent jobs. I’d feel bad for her, I would, but she is the one who locked Eleanor away.

Mary also incarcerated Doris, my other triplet. The fool signed over her power of attorney without batting an eyelash. Always too agreeable. She was taken by Alzheimer’s second, but by Death first.

Ted, Mary’s brother who’s a lawyer, convinced my children that I ought to be sentenced to this place. The crime was barely eating for three days. I realize that sounds bad for a seventy-five-year-old. But I had been out hunting. You eat only what you catch or gather when you’re hunting. Some fools wear expensive coats, pack a lunch, and bring electronic devices into the forest. They carry weapons that cost more than I paid for my first house. I am not that kind of hunter. The hunting attire I wear is made from the skins of the animals of my last trip. My weapons are forged from nature. Ordinarily, I’m an expert in the woods. But faced with those orange wearing corporate drones who play hunters, I…

They shot first.

I don’t belong here. The food is flavorless mush that smells like canned peas. The sweaters and slippers make me itch. I watch bad reruns on television. My sister’s body is decaying. Each day I’m tortured as her vacant mind that was once brilliant spouts out gibberish. These restraints are hardly the worst they can do to me, but they’re unpleasant nonetheless. Yes, I tried to die. And yes, I meant to end Eleanor’s suffering along with my own. Some sins are worse than others.

Our family trip to an amusement park was a distraction. The final destination was this prison for the elderly. There is a sin in that. A lie. Where did our children learn such deception? Yes, we would tell them they were going for ice cream and then stop at the dentist or doctor along the way. But the reward came after! No reward is coming for us. Except, perhaps, our deaths. Maybe Heaven will be an ice cream shop.